"There are tremendous benefits (to going to China)," Adelman said Sunday night before the Rockets departed on an 18-hour flight to Beijing. "I just think the scheduling could have been better."

While in China, the Rockets will play two preseason exhibitions against the New Jersey Nets. They will play Wednesday in Beijing at the Wukesong Arena, the site of the 2008 Olympic basketball competition. After that, the Rockets will play Saturday in Guangzhou, a 3-hour flight from Beijing.

Adelman's major gripe is the timing of the trip, which is coming late in the preseason. When the Rockets return, they will finish with back-to-back road exhibitions against San Antonio and Dallas before beginning the season with a West Coast trip against the Lakers and Golden State.

"If you are going to send us (to China) and give us a week, don't put us on the road on the West Coast for two games back-to-back to open the season," Adelman said. "I'm sorry. It just makes absolutely no sense, unless they don't know Houston is a 3½-hour (flight) from L.A."

"If you are going to send us (to China) and give us a week, don't put us on the road on the West Coast for two games back-to-back to open the season," Adelman said. "I'm sorry. It just makes absolutely no sense, unless they don't know Houston is a 3½-hour (flight) from L.A."

I agree the scheduling could have been better. Houston will arrive from China, finish the preseason, and then fly out west to play back to back games. Not that big of a deal but it could have been planned a little better.